NEP: Telangana mulls merger of TG BIE with School Education Department

Hyderabad: The state government is mulling the merger of the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TG BIE) with the School Education Department.

If implemented, this would bring an end to the standalone intermediate system—comprising Class XI and XII—and align the State with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 framework.

Shift from Existing Structure

Currently, Telangana follows the 5-2-3-2 education model: five years of primary education, two years of upper primary, three years of high school, and two years of intermediate education managed by a separate board. The NEP 2020 recommends a unified 5-3-3-4 structure, where Classes IX to XII are treated as a single secondary stage under one board.

This change would mean that Class XI and XII students in Telangana could be brought under the same system as those studying from Class I to X, with oversight from a single administrative body.

Central Push for Unified Boards

The development follows a national conference hosted by the Department of School Education and Literacy on July 2. The event, which focused on curriculum and assessment reforms, included discussions on the relevance of maintaining dual boards for secondary and intermediate education.

Central officials reportedly questioned the rationale for Telangana’s two-board system and recommended a unified board up to Class XII. They also emphasized the need for consistent curriculum, examination standards, and assessment models across States.

One education policy analyst based in Hyderabad, Dr. Mahadev Chintala, noted, “A single board structure could improve coherence in pedagogy and reduce the learning gaps students face during the transition from Class X to Class XI.”

Government Schools May Be Upgraded

The possibility of restructuring gains weight following Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s reported directive to the School Education Department to consider introducing Classes IX to XII in all government and local body high schools, which currently go up to Class X.

At present, nearly 600 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) and Model Schools already offer education up to Class XII under the School Education Department. In contrast, 430 government junior colleges are managed separately by the Intermediate Education Department.

State Yet to Finalize Policy

Currently, eight States, including Telangana, continue to operate with separate boards for school and intermediate education. While no final decision has been announced, officials indicate that a formal policy shift may be considered in the coming months.

Educationists have cautioned that the transition, while structurally beneficial, must be implemented gradually with safeguards to protect teacher roles, infrastructure investments, and student continuity.